Screw driver



has more :particular reference 5 ing held in positiony which 'may 'screw Patented May 21, 1929.

1,714,045# PATENT orifice..l

"WILLIAM H. PRATT, 0E cniimrNsvLLE,

"' V j" y scnEwn-EIvEnl This useful improvements inv screw invention relates to certain new and drivers, and to a device of this kind particularly adapted for holdand rstarting the driving of' screws into work within restricted and eontined places. An `objectot' the invention is to provide meansf applicable to the shanlrot a screw driver for effectively holding a screw i'n operative engagementl with the driving bit of the screw driver, with the`screw properly 'i for being started into thc work. Y

A further-object .is to provide a screw holding means of the above kind which is extremely simple and durable in construction aswell as etiicicnt in operation. and

gagcdfromthe s'c-rew. A still further object of the invention is to provide means whereby the screw holding device is caused to rotate with the screw driver so as to aid the bit of the screw driver in turnin the screw.

Other o jects'will appear as the nature of theinvention is .better understood, and the same consists in the ,novel form combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying 30 drawing and claimed.

' herein like reference In t e drawing,

` parts characters indicate corresponding throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a front elevational view ot a driver equipped with a screw holding 'meansf constructed in accordance with the resent invention, and illustrating a screw iield in eiective driving engagement with the bit of the screw driver;

Figure 2 is a side eleva-tional view of the device shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 with the screw holding device in substantially central longitudinal section; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section taken substantially upon line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the screw driver proper consists of a suitable ellon ated shank 5 having a suitable form of handle 6 fixed upon one end thereof and having its other end flattened and suitably shaped to provide an integral driving bit 7 adapted to en age in the usual transverse oove or ker of the head of the screw 8 which is desired to be driven into work within confined or restricted places.

Application led. May 26,' 1926; Serial No.4 111,833.

be readily engaged and discn NEBRASKA.;

Inl accordance with the present invention the screw driver proper is provided with a screw holding means including a trame, generally indicated at 9, of open elongated form. This traine is mounted at its inner end upon the `shank 5 for sliding movement longitudinally of the latter, end ot the trame is provided with a transverse slot opening throughone edge of the frame as at 10 so that the shank of the screw'- inay be'engaged in said slot 10 with the head of the screw bearing upon the inner side of the adjacentend ot the frame 9,'whereby the" screw is disposed inl alignment with the shank 5 for being properly driven into the work. In order to effectively hold the screw' in place with the bit 7 maintained effectively" in engagement in the kerf of the screw head, the trame 9 is suitably yieldingly urged in an inward direction oii the shank 5 or toward the handle 6. l

As shown, the-frame 9 consists ofa single strip ot metal bent into narrow elongated U- shape so as to present a-pair' of relatively long legs or free end portions with and at opposite sides of the screw driver shank 5, and a relatively short 'intermediate or transverse connecting portion 12 disposed adjacent to but outwardly of the bit 7 and formed with the slot 10. The frame further embodies a collar 13 to opposite sides of which are attached the tree end portions ot the legs 11, and which is slidably mounted for movement longitudinally on the shank 5 of the screw driver proper, the attachment of the legs 11 to the collar 13 being etected by suitable means such as screws 14 passing through the legs 11 and threaded into the collar 13 as shown clearly in Figure 3.

The means for yieldingly urging the frame 9 toward the handle 6 preferably consists of a. helical compression spring 15 disposed on the shank 5 and between the collar 13 and the bit 7 with its ends respectively engaging said collar 13 and bit 7. With the frame 9 thus yieldingly urged screw will be effectively brought into driving engagement with the bit 7 so that the screw 1s and the other 411 parallel inwardly the head of the and discngage the bit 7 from t'hohcaiflof.'the"` screw. after which the present invention 1s moved laterally. bodily so as to permit then trame to more ont. of engagement. `with the .screw by the latter riding ont of the .transfivsaid bit for engagement in adjacent longirersc slot 10.

The. frame. f) is pi-et"nably Vturned with the Ashank 5 when the device is in use so as to avoid any friction by reason of turning ot'v the-head nl' the :screw relative lo the `portion 12 of-lhe la rame engaged thereby. This is also desired because the traine will thenaid the bit 7 in turning the screw. For this purpose the inner end of the bit 7 is preferably providedv shift longitudinally relative to- .theframeF when disengaging the bit from the headl of' From the foregoing ydescription it is believed that the construction and operation as Well as the advantages of the present-invention will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. if

Minor changes may be made without de? parting from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.- v 'f' What I claim as new is 1 1 1. In a screw holding screw driver, a rela' tively long shank having one end formed itof provide 'a bit designed to engage atthe free forward edge in the kerf of a'screw, an clongatedsiibstantially having said shank arranged longitudinally and be- .tween the'legs thereof,4said bit being located adjacent 'the yoke portion of the frame, laterally projecting spurs formed integral .with

t-udinally.extendilw slots in the frame legs, said yoke portion ot he frame having a recess 'formed in one side odge to receive the shank of a screw l'or engagement by the; bit, means loosely-mounted upon said shank for connecting the free ends of the frame legs together, and resilient means normally urging said bit toward the yoke portion of the frame.

'2. A screw holding vscrew driver of the character described, comprising :1n-elongated shanky having one end formed to provide a relatively broad bit `having the side edges straight andsubstantially parallel, an elongated U-shaped frame having said shank extending longitudinally and between the legs thereof with said bit located therein adjacent -the yoke portion, the side edges of said bit moving `between and contacting with the opposed inner faces of the -fra'nie legs, laterally projecting-spurs formed integral with said bit and designed to extend'through adjacent apertures formedlongitudinall of the frame legs, said frame having one si e edge of the yoke portion-provided with a recess to receive theshank ofv a screw in position for engagement by said bit, a sleeve carried by-said sli'ankand arranged :between the free ends of said legs and having the legs secured thereto,

` and a spring member surrounding the shank between said sleeve and said bit and-normally urging the bit toward the frame yoke.

In testimony whereof I aftix my signature.

,WILLIAM` I-I. PRATT. 

